TRUE LOVE (Chapter 60)

Warren was eating supper with Papa Bear on Friday night when Alexa came over.

"Got another one for you, Prep Stud. This one's a special case, though."

"OK, I'll bite," Warren said.

"She wants you to take her virginity."

"Huh?"

"Yeah. She used to prattle on about waiting for Mr. Right. Finally, I found out what she really meant. She just wants her first time to be with a nice, gentle guy who will make it good for her. I, of course, immediately thought of you."

"Hmmm. Who is it?"

"Caitlin McDermott, my next door neighbor."

Papa Bear looked up with a start. Alexa didn't catch it, but Warren did.

"The gorgeous red-head?" Warren asked.

"That's her. She wants to do it tomorrow night, but wants to meet you a bit tonight, you know, talk some."

"OK. I'll be up in an hour or so."

"Great." Alexa took off.

When she left, Warren looked at Paul, and said, "OK, Papa Bear. What was that look for?"

"What look?"

"When Alexa said Caitlin's name, you looked like someone had kicked you in the balls."

Papa Bear stared at his food for a couple minutes. Then he said, "I know Caitlin. She's in my English comp class, and she usually goes with the group of us that hits the Student Union on Fridays after class."

"How well you know her?"

"A little. She's a little shy, but we've talked some. She has an unusual sense of humor."

"Not unlike a certain floormate of mine. You got a thing for her, don't you?"

"Yeah. You know that, despite my bluster, I'm shy around girls. I'm as much of a virgin as she is, I've told you that. I've been trying to get the gumption up to ask her out for a month."

"And here I am, being offered a night with her, easy as you please. You must hate me right about now."

Papa Bear looked up, surprised. "NO! I don't hate you, of course not. I just……" he trailed off.

"Don't worry about it."

"What do you mean?"

"Just what I said. Don't worry about it." He got up and tossed his trash in the barrel, leaving Papa Bear wondering exactly what he was going to do.

Warren got back to his room, and thought about what had just happened. He had pretended he was enjoying what he was doing, and on one level he was. He pretended it was harmless, and it probably had been.

This wouldn't be.

He remembered his first time. Would it have been that special if it had been a one-night stand? He didn't think so. Now, he knew he could give Caitlin a better first time than, say, Sophia had had. But, she had been right the first time. She should wait for someone special, no matter what Alexa said.

Plus, no fucking way could he do that to Papa Bear.

He thought for a while, and went up to Alexa's room. She was there, as was Caitlin.

After the introductions were made, Warren sat next to Caitlin on the couch.

"Caitlin, I've been thinking…….I can't do this."

"Huh?" Caitlin said.

"HUH?" Alexa said.

"Alexa, you stay out of this. Caitlin, I'm flattered. I also think you're gorgeous. But I can't do this. You're first instincts were right, you know. Your first time should be more special than a one night stand with a guy who's trying to run away from what he really wants."

"Conscience attack?" Alexa asked. "I thought I had freed you from those."

"Not entirely, Lex. Caitlin, do you see what I'm saying?"

"Yeah, Warren, I do. And, honestly, I'm touched. But I don't want to wait forever, either. And I'm very shy around guys, so the prospects are not good."

"You're not shy around me, it doesn't seem."

She smiled. "Well, that's why a one night stand would be easier. No emotional baggage."

"Let me tell you something. Sex with emotional baggage is better than sex without it."

"Sex without emotional baggage is better than no sex at all," Alexa interjected.

"No, Lex, maybe he's right," Caitlin admitted. "It's difficult though. The guy I have a thing for has had plenty of opportunities to ask me out, and just hasn't."

"Maybe he's as shy as you are."

"I doubt it," Caitlin contended. "He's very outgoing and boisterous. There are a bunch of us that go out after class on Fridays, and he's one of them. He's the life of the party, wickedly funny. We talk quite a bit, but he's never given me the slightest indication that he's interested in me."

Warren smiled inwardly to himself.

"Look, Caitlin," Warren told her, "my best friend at this school is loud and boisterous and funny--and very, very shy about approaching girls he likes. In fact, he was just telling me that he's been mooning over some girl for a month, one that he goes out with in a group every Friday after class, and he hasn't been able to get up the nerve to ask her out. He's crazy about her." He grinned, hoping she'd make the connection.

"Warren," she asked after a minute, "who's your best friend."

"Paul Herlihy. Affectionately known as Papa Bear," Warren said with a broad smile.

Caitlin looked down, almost afraid to ask this question. "Did he tell you who he wants to ask out?"

"Yes." Warren's grin grew larger. "And that's the other reason I wouldn't feel right going to bed with you. It would kill Papa Bear, the girl he's gaga over in bed with his best friend."

Caitlin's eyes grew wide. "You're kidding."

"Nope." Warren was still grinning. "He has got it bad."

"Damn," Alexa interjected, "I knew you had a thing for someone, but never knew it was Papa Bear."

"Yeah. He's so funny, and sweet. Why is he so shy around girls?"

"I surmise that part of it is self-consciousness about his size," Warren said.

"That just makes him more cuddly." Caitlin giggled. "Listen to me. I'm getting delirious. Now, how do I get him to ask me out?"

"Do it yourself," Warren said.

"Oh, I don't think I can do that."

"Sure you can."

"The only time I ever see him, is with lots of other people around. That would be tough."

"So, go to his room."

"I don't know where he lives."

Warren smiled again. "Across the hall and one door down from me. And I happen to know he's there right now, and I also happen to know his roommate is not. Let's go."

"NOW?"

"The more you think about it, the longer time you have to chicken out. It's real easy. 'Paul, will you go out with me tomorrow night?' Or tonight, even, he has no plans that I know of. He says yes--which he will--and you take it from there."

"Oh God. Can I really do this?"

"Yeah, you can. Come on."

"He'll be out in a minute," Alexa said. Caitlin smiled, and went out in the hall. "You're the sweetest guy I know, you know that?" Alexa asked Warren. "That was a good thing you did, for her and for Papa Bear."

"Thanks, Lex."

He went out in the hall, and he and Caitlin went to the elevators. They went down, and Warren led Caitlin to Papa Bear's door. "Ready?" he asked her.

"No, but do it anyway." She giggled. "Warren? Thanks."

"You're welcome." He knocked on Papa Bear's door, as Caitlin stood off to the side.

"Lobster breath! Whasssaaap?"

"Hiya, Papa Bear. Got someone here looking for you." He stepped away from the door, and Caitlin stepped towards it

"Caitlin?"

"Hi, Paul." Warren crept away from the door, towards his own room.

"What can I do for you?" Paul asked.

She took a deep breath. "I was wondering……do you have plans tonight?"

"No."

"Would you like to go out with me? Maybe see a movie, get something to eat afterwards?"

Paul was incredulous, but kept his cool. "I'd love to," he managed to squeak out.

"Great! I need to go upstairs and get my coat. Meet you in the lobby in five?"

"Great."

"See you then." She walked off, breathing a giddy sigh of relief.

Papa Bear watched her go, barely believing what had happened. Then he ducked back in his room, and grabbed his own coat and keys and such. Before he headed to the lobby to wait for her, he went to Warren's room.

"Enter."

Paul opened the door. "You are the best. Absolutely the best. How did you pull that off?"

"Easy. She's got it as bad for you as you do for her. So I gave her a little push."

"I owe you for this, pal. Big time."

"Just have a good time."

"I plan on it." With that he left.

Warren sat back in his chair, a satisfied smile on his face. He hadn't felt this good about himself in a while. Good for Papa Bear--he deserved it, and Caitlin seemed like a real sweetie.

Now it was time to do something about his own love life.

He walked out of his room, got on the elevator, and went to the ninth floor. He knocked on Sophia's door.

There was no answer. Fine, he thought to himself, she's out. I'll talk to her tomorrow. He went back to his room, studied for a while, and then hit the sack.

-----------------------------------------

He woke up the next morning, planning on breakfast and then another try at Sophia's room. But first, he decided to check out the skating newsgroup on the internet. He still read it even though he hadn't posted anything since the breakup.

He scrolled through the subject headers, until he stopped at one. "Oh no."

It read: "Daniels/Kelleher breakup confirmed!"

He clicked on the message. It read;

"I have a good source at the University of Wisconsin. Daniels and Kelleher broke up almost two months ago! Not just on the ice, but off the ice, too. She dumped him for some other guy, then dumped the other guy, and has been sleeping her way through Wisconsin every since. Warren is apparently inconsolable. Let's hope he finds another partner--and another girlfriend--that isn't such a slut!"

The signature was a poster that was known for spreading gossip.

Warren took a deep breath. He was worried about this happening. Nothing stays a secret among the internet skating community for long, and some of them, like this poster, could be downright nasty. He remembered some nasty false rumors about Liz Cushman a year or two ago.

He checked his e-mail, and saw lots of emails from Liz, Christine, Jack, and other friends. He couldn’t deal with that now. He threw on his clothes and bounded out the door, headed for Sophia's room.

Elise answered the door. "Warren?"

"Hi Elise. Is Sophia here? I need to talk to her."

"No, she's not." Elise took a deep breath. "Warren, she's in the hospital, in a coma."

"What?"

"She had to be rushed there last night. Alcohol poisoning."